High fidelity sound reproducing apparatus



Oct. 1, 1957 F. E. GOETTNER ,808,121

HIGH FIDELITY SOUND REPRODUCING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 5, 1956 I 2 O o 1*? -r I 5$ 9 .H

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FFP/TZ GOETT/VEP United States Patent HIGH FIDELITY SOUND REPRODUCING APPARATUS Fritz E. Goettner, Adrian, Mich.

Application December 5, 1956, Serial No. 626,453

9 Claims. (Cl. 181-31) This invention relates to sound reproducing apparatus and particularly to sound reproducing apparatus of the so-called high fidelity type.

Sound usually is reproduced by speakers which comprise diaphragms that are electromagnetically or piezoelectrically vibrated in synchronism with variations in electric currents which are modulated by electromagnetic or piezoelectric devices that are responsive to variations in frequencies of sound.

It has been recognized that low frequency sounds are reproduced with the greatest fidelity by speakers which have vibratory components, the inertia of which is too great to permit them to respond with high fidelity to high frequency current pulsations. It has been recognized also that speakers with small and light components which respond with high fidelity to high frequency current pulsations are relatively ineffective in reproducing sounds in the lower part of the audio frequency spectrum. Excellent reproduction throughout the part of the audio frequency spectrum that includes the range of sounds that are heard by the human ear, i. e. voice sounds and music, can be achieved by employing three commercially available sizes of speakers, the larger of which reproduces most effectively the bass sounds, e. g. tones having vibration frequencies ranging downwardly from about 300 cycles per second, the smaller of which reproduces most effectively the treble sounds, e. g. fundamental and overtones whose frequencies range upwardly from about 3000 cycles, and the intermediate of which reproduces most effectively sounds in the middle range, e. g. fundamental and overtones having vibration frequencies ranging from about 100 cycles to about 4000 cycles per second.

While prior art sound reproducing apparatus has sometimes incorporated air chambers, such chambers have not been so devised as to attain maximum fidelity of reproduction, especially when the apparatus is installed in rooms of residences where walls, furniture and hangings become in efiect adjuncts of the apparatus which by reflection, reinforcement and sympathetic vibrations affect the complex of tones and overtones that reaches the listeners ear.

A person who desires to acquire and enjoy high fidelity sound reproduction is confronted with many deterrents among which are the:

(A) High cost of standard complete apparatus (B) The nonsuitability of such apparatus for installation in residential rooms, not only because of its bulk but also of its lack of adaptability to various environments.

Some persons try to satisfy their desires economically by buying bargain hi-fi sets the performance of which is almost sure to be poor. Others either make or buy cabinets and purchase other units such as tuners, record players, amplifiers and speakers which they assemble and wire in the cabinets. Numerous combinations are possible but the collection of units for apparatus suitable to the environment into which the installation is to be made requires much search and understanding. A person who relies solely on the advice of vendors may buy parts more expensive than are needed for apparatus to be installed in a dwelling and in any event replacements and rebuilding may be required to get good results in a particular location of the apparatus relative to walls and furniture and audience. In some locations sound reproduction, especially in the low frequency part of the audible range, is liable to be affected by wave interference which may create more or less pronounced beats.

It is an object of this invention to provide high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus in which liability of occurrence of beats is minimized while sounds throughout the audible range emanate from plural centers diversely located in the apparatus.

It is a further object of the invention to provide high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus in which the centers from which the sounds emanate may be shifted to take advantage of the sound effecting characteristics of the setting in which the apparatus is to be enjoyed.

A further object is to arrange various chambers of the apparatus with superior compactness.

A further object is to locate the several elements of the combination, each having ample dimensions, for optimum performance within the compass of a small rectangular cabinet having a table top suitable to accommodate the emplacement thereon of a record player and a radio or television receiver.

Another object is to provide high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus with commercially available components assembled therein, the apparatus being ready for connection to a record player and/ or a radio or television receiver.

Another object is to provide a kit consisting of a cabinet and speakers and other elements to be assembled therewith.

And still another object is to provide sound reproducing apparatus of compact and inexpensive construction which after installation can be modified to give optimum performance within its environment.

Other objects and numerous advantages of the invention will be apparent upon perusal of the following description illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which: i

Fig. I is a view in perspective of high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus embodying the instant invention; and

Fig. II is a sectional plan view taken substantially as indicated by the lines IIII of Fig. I.

These specific drawings and the specific description that follows illustrate and describe a preferred form of the invention but are not intended to limit its scope.

In the form illustrated the invention comprises a cabinet 1 having a table top 2 upon which are mounted a record player 3 as well as a radio and/or a television receiver 4. Neither the record player 3 nor the television 4 per se is of the applicants invention. Any of many commercially available types of record players and any of many commercially available types of radio and/or television receivers may be employed.

In the front of the cabinet 1 is a recess within which are mounted a tuner 5 and an amplifier 6. Neither the tuner 5 nor the amplifier 6 is of the applicants invention. Any of the many commercially available tuners and amplifiers may be used. The tuner 5 is assembled in a box 7 which may be hinged at its bottom to the cabinet 1 so that it can be tilted outwardly as shown in Fig. I to give access to tuning knobs 8. The amplifier is assembled upon the rear side of a panel 9 which can be pulled forwardly to give access to electronic tubes, transistors and other elements of the amplifier.

Within the cabinet 1 is a bass channel 10 which lies immediately behind the recess and slants forwardly at each end to mouths 11 and 12. A bass speaker 13 is pivotally mounted on the forward wall 14 of the bass channel so that it can be swung toward the mouth 11 and away from the mouth 12 or visa versa. The face of the speaker 13 from which the greater volume of sound emerges is toward the mouth 12 while the back of the speaker 13 from which the lesser volume of sound emerges is toward the mouth 11. Because of the differential in sound volume from the face and back of the speaker, it is pivoted within the bass channel It! at a location nearer to the mouth 11 than to the mouth 12.

In order to compensate for variations in the sound paths beyond the mouths 11 and 12 resulting from proximity of walls and other objects the speaker, after installation of the apparatus, can be swung toward the one or the other mouth to a position in which the best effect is obtained. Further adjustment is provided for by interposing vanes 15 and 16 in the mouths 11 and 12, each of the vanes being pivoted so that it can be swung to vary the size and direction of the mouth opening. In

order to avoid the possibility of interference between sound waves emanating from the mouth 11 and sound waves emanating from the mouth 12, the bass channel 10 is given a length of approximately three feet.

Behind and contiguous to the bass channel 10 are middle range sound chambers 17 and 18 which have open ings at the sides and the back of the cabinet 1. A middle range speaker 19 is mounted upon a panel 20 which is hinged at the side opening of the chamber 17 whereby the speaker 19 can be swung to bring its face to the side opening or its back to the back opening of the chamber 17, or can be swung into intermediate position. Similarly a middle range speaker 22 is mounted upon a panel 23 which is hinged at the side opening of the chamber 18, whereby the speaker 22 can be swung to bring its face to the side opening or its back to the back opening of the chamber 18. Thus either or both of the middle range speakers can be positioned after the apparatus is installed to get the best reproduction of middle range tones and overtones whether or not the back of the cabinet 1 or a side of the cabinet is close to a wall or other sound reflecting, directing, damping or reinforcing surfaces.

To facilitate manipulation of the base speaker 13, the vanes 15 and 16 and the panels 20 and 23, those members are provided with handles 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28, which lie beneath the floor of the cabinet 1 adjacent its edges and are fixed to the lower ends of hinge pintles that project through the floor.

Positioned at the mouths 11 and 12 of the bass channel 10 are treble speakers 29 and 30. High pitched sounds are not liable to set up reverberations within the apparatus or within the room in which the apparatus is installed, therefore no treble sound passages or chambers are included in the apparatus. The treble speakers 29 and 30, however, are located far enough apart to avoid the un natural effect of high frequency sound waves propagated from a single point in apparatus which is reproducing orchestral music, high pitched tones of which are propagated from more than one point. The light weight diaphragms of the treble speakers also are sufficiently remote from the vibratory mechanism of the bass and middle range speakers to remain unefiected by vibrations transmitted from the bass and middle range vibratory mechanisms of the structure of the cabinet 1 because short waves do not follow paths that turn corners. The treble speakers 29 and 31 are so oriented as to direct their sounds straight toward the audience.

To conceal the months 11 and 12 of the bass channel 10, the vanes 15 and 16 and the treble speakers 29 and 30 as well as the side openings of the middle range chambers 17 and 18 and the middle range speakers 19 and 22, they are covered by nonreslient screening 31 which extends along the portions of the front and sides of the cabinet 1 that are adjacent to the front corners of the cabinet.

The circuits employed in wiring the assembly of units are not of this invention, therefore the circuits are not shown and described herein.

It is to be understood that the particular cabinet, channel and chamber construction described herein and the particular combination of speakers therewith, described herein, are exemplary and that without departing from the invention it can be modified within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described this preferred embodiment of the invention, I claim:

1. In high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus, a rectangular cabinet having a table top constructed to accommodate emplacement thereon of a record player and a radio sound receiver, said cabinet having a front opening recess to contain tuner and amplifier mechanism, therebeing a bass sound channel within said cabinet, said bass sound channel having mouths at the front corners of said cabinet, an intermediate portion of said bass sound channel extending behind said recess, a bass speaker pivotally mounted within said bass sound channel, the face of said bass speaker being turned toward one of said mouths, the back of said bass speaker being turned toward the other of said mouths, the mounting of said bass speaker being a pivot which is located farther from the mouth toward which the face of said bass speaker is turned than from the mouth toward which the back of said bass speaker is turned, vanes pivotally mounted adjacent the mouths of said bass sound channel and capable of being adjusted to selectively vary the volume and direction of sound emitted from said mouths, therebeing a pair of middle range sound chambers within said cabinet, said middle range sound chambers being located behind and contiguous to said bass sound channel, said middle range sound chambers each having a side opening and a back opening, a panel hinged adjacent the side opening of each middle range sound chamber, a middle range speaker carried by each panel and capable of being swung toward either the side opening or the back opening of the middle range sound chamber in which said speaker is located, and a treble speaker positioned adjacent each mouth of said bass sound channel and oriented to direct treble sound forwardly from said cabinet.

2. In high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus, a rectangular cabinet, therebeing a bass sound channel within said cabinet, said bass sound channel having months at the front corners of said cabinet, a bass speaker pivotally mounted within said bass sound channel, the face of said bass speaker being turned toward one of said mouths, the back of said bass speaker being turned toward the other of said mouths, the mounting of said bass speaker being a pivot which is located farther from the mouth toward which the face of said bass speaker is turned than from the mouth toward which the back of said bass speaker is turned, vanes pivotally mounted adjacent the mouths of said bass sound channel and capable of being adjusted to selectively vary the volume and direction of sound emitted from said mouths, therebeing a pair of middle range sound chambers within said cabinet, said middle range sound chambers being located behind and contiguous to said bass sound channel, said middle range sound chambers each having a side opening and a back opening, a panel hinged adjacent the side opening of each middle range sound chamber, a middle range speaker carried by each panel and capable of being swung toward either the side opening or the back opening of the middle range sound chamber in which said speaker is located, and a treble speaker positioned adjacent each mouth of said bass sound channel and oriented to direct treble sound forwardly from said cabinet.

3. In high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus, a rectangular cabinet having a table top constructed to accommodate emplacement thereon of a record player and a radio sound receiver, therebeing a bass sound channel within said cabinet, said bass sound channel having mouths at the front corners of said cabinet, a bass speaker pivotally mounted within said bass sound channel, the face of said bass speaker being turned toward one of said mouths, the back of said bass speaker being turned toward the other of said mouths, the mounting of said bass speaker being located farther from the mouth toward which the face of said bass speaker is turned than from the mouth toward which the back of said bass speaker is turned, vanes pivotally mounted adjacent the mouths of said bass sound channel and capable of being adjusted to selectively vary the volume and direction of sound emitted from said mouths, therebeing a pair of middle range sound chambers within said cabinet, said middle range sound chambers being located behind and contiguous to said bass sound channel, said middle range sound chambers each having a side opening and a back opening, a panel hinged adjacent the side opening of each middle range sound chamber, a middle range speaker carried by each panel and capable of being swung toward either the side opening or the back opening of the middle range sound chamber in which said speaker is located, and a treble speaker positioned adjacent each month of said bass sound channel and oriented to direct treble sound forwardly from said cabinet.

4. In high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus, a rectangular cabinet having a table top constructed to accommodate emplacement thereon of a record player and a radio sound receiver, said cabinet having a front opening recess to contain tuner and amplifier mechainsm, there-- being a bass sound channel within said cabinet, said bass sound channel having mouths at the front corners of said cabinet, an intermediate portion of said bass sound channel extending behind said recess, a bass speaker pivotally mounted within said bass sound channel, the face of said bass speaker being turned toward one of said months, the back of said bass speaker being turned toward the other of said months, the mounting of said bass speaker being located farther from the mouth toward which the face of said bass speaker is turned than from the mouth toward which the back of said bass speaker is turned, therebeing a pair of middle range sound chambers within said cabinet, said middle range sound chambers being located behind and contiguous to said bass sound channel, said middle range sound chambers each having a side opening and a back opening, a panel hinged adjacent the side opening of each middle range sound chamber, a middle range speaker carried by each panel and capable of being swung toward either the side opening or the back opening of the middle range sound chamber in which said speaker is located, and a treble speaker positioned adjacent each mouth of said bass sound channel and oriented to direct treble sound forwardly from said cabinet.

5. In high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus, a rectangular cabinet having a table top constructed to accommodate emplacement thereon of a record player and a radio sound receiver, said cabinet having a front opening recess to contain turner and amplifier mechanism, therebeing a bass sound channel within said cabinet, said bass sound channel having mouths at the front corners of said cabinet, an intermediate portion of said bass sound channel extending behind said recess, a bass speaker pivotally mounted within said bass sound channel, the face of said bass speaker being turned toward one of said mouths, the back of said bass speaker being turned toward the other of said mouths, the mounting of said bass speaker being a pivot which is located farther from the mouth toward which the face of said bass speaker is turned than from the mouth toward which the back of said bass speaker is turned, therebeing a pair of middle range sound chambers within said cabinet, said middle range sound chambers being located behind and contiguous to said bass sound channel, said middle range sound chambers each having a side opening and a back opening, a panel hinged adjacent the side opening of each middle. range sound chamber, a middle range speaker carried by each panel and capable of being swung toward either the side opening or the back opening of the middle range sound chamber in which said speaker is located, and a treble speaker positioned adjacent each month of said bass sound channel and oriented to direct treble sound forwardly from said cabinet.

6. In high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus, a rectangular cabinet having a table top constructed to accommodate emplacement thereon of a record player and a radio sound receiver, said cabinet having a front opening recess to contain tuner and amplifier mechanism, therebeing a bass sound channel within said cabinet, said bass sound channel having mouths at the front corners of said cabinet, an intermediate portion of said bass sound channel extending behind said recess, a bass speaker pivotally mounted within said bass sound channel, the face of said bass speaker being turned toward one of said months, the back of said bass speaker being turned toward the other of said months, the mounting of said bass speaker being a pivot which is located farther from the mouth toward which the face of said bass speaker is turned than from the mouth toward which the back of said bass speaker is turned, therebeing a pair of middle range sound chambers within said cabinet, said middle range sound chambers being located behind and contiguous to said bass sound channel, said middle range sound chambers each having a side opening and a back opening, a middle range speaker capable of being swung toward either the side opening or the back opening of the middle range sound chamber in which said speaker is located, and a treble speaker positioned adjacent each mouth of said bass sound channel and oriented to direct treble sound forwardly from said cabinet.

7. In high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus, a rectangular cabinet having a table top constructed to accommodate emplacement thereon of a record player and a radio sound receiver, said cabinet having a front opening recess to contain tuner and amplifier mechanism, therebeing a bass sound channel within said cabinet, said bass sound channel having mouths at the front corners of said cabinet, an intermediate portion of said bass sound channel extending behind said recess, a bass speaker pivotally mounted within said bass sound channel, the face of said bass speaker being turned toward one of said mouths, the back of said bass speaker being turned toward the other of said mouths, the mounting of said bass speaker being a pivot which is located farther from the mouth toward which the face of said bass speaker is turned than from the mouth toward which the back of said bass speaker is turned, vanes pivotally mounted adjacent the mouths of said bass sound channel and capable of being adjusted to selectively vary the volume and direction of sound emitted from said mouths, therebeing a pair of middle range sound chambers within said cabinet, said middle range sound chambers being located behind and contiguous to said bass sound channel, said middle range sound chambers each having a side opening and a back opening, a middle range speaker capable of being swung toward either the side opening or the back opening of the middle range sound chamber in which said speaker is located, and a treble speaker positioned adjacent each mouth of said bass sound channel and oriented to direct treble sound forwardly from said cabinet.

8. In high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus, a rectangular cabinet, therebeing a bass sound channel within said cabinet, said bass sound channel having months at the front corners of said cabinet, a bass speaker pivotally mounted within said bass sound channel, the face of said bass speaker being turned toward one of said months, the back of said bass speaker being turned toward the other of said mouths, the mounting of said bass speaker being located farther from the mouth toward which the face of said bass speaker is turned than from the mouth toward which the back of said bass speaker is turned, therebeing a pair of middle range sound chambers within said cabinet, said middle range sound chambers being located behind and contiguous to said bass sound channel, said middle range sound chambers each having a side opening and a back opening, a panel hinged adjacent the side opening of each middle range sound chamber, a middle range speaker carried by each panel and capable of being swung toward either the side opening or the back opening of the middle range sound-chamber in which said speaker is located, and a treble speaker positioned adjacent each mouth of said bass sound channel and oriented to direct treble sound forwardly from said cabinet.

9. in high fidelity sound reproducing apparatus, a rectangular cabinet, therebeing a bass sound channel within said cabinet, said bass sound channel having months at the front corners of said cabinet, a bass speaker pivotally mounted within said bass sound channel, the face of said bass speaker being turned toward one of said months, the, back of said bass speaker being turned toward the other of said months, the mounting of said bass speaker being located farther from the mouth toward which the face of said bass speaker is turned than from the month toward which the back of said bass speaker is turned, therebeing a pair of middle range sound chambers Within said cabinet, said middle range sound chamoers being located behind and contiguous to said bass sound channel, said middle range sound chambers each having a side opening and a back opening, a middle range speaker capable of being swung toward either the side opening or the back opening of the middle range sound chamber in which said speaker is located, and a treble speaker positioned adjacent each month of said bass sound channel and oriented to direct treble sound forwardly from said cabinet.

No references cited. 

